Post on 12-Jan-2016
Family Support: Policy, Practice and Research into the Future
Dr. John Canavan
Child and Family Research Centre
Presentation Structure
1. Introduction
2. Framework
3. Individual Components and Challenges
4. Summary
RIGHTS
OUTCOMES
POLICY, SERVICES, PRACTICES
THEORY AND KNOWLEDGE
CHALLENGE 1
EMBRACE THE COMPLEXITY OF FAMILY SUPPORT – IT IS YOUR JOB!!!
RIGHTS
Fundamental UNCRC Family Support
Complex and Tension-filled Competence/rationality and due-weight Rights of children and parents in conflict Role of the state
Current representations Monageer and Ryan A Referendum
CHALLENGE 2
USE A RIGHTS ORIENTATION TO GUIDE YOUR WORK – TEST IT OUT !!!
OUTCOMES
Relationship to rights and needs
Underpinning Forces
Benefits
Risks
Good enough outcomes
CHALLENGES 3-5
TEST OUT THE OUTCOMES APPROACH
SEE WHAT COPING / MANAGING OUTCOMES LOOK LIKE
TRY OUT SOME ADVOCACY WORK
POLICY, SERVICES and PRACTICES
Family Support Policy Targeted and Universal Social Investment State or Ethic of Care? Commission on the Family Revisited ?
Family Support Services and Practices The Agenda for Children’s Services
Neglected Areas Diversity – e.g. ethnic and racial, disability Family Conflict, Separation, and Divorce Negotiated Decommissioning
CHALLENGES 6-8
DEVELOP AND TEST A FAMILY SUPPORT POLICY FRAMEWORK
IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
STOP DOING SOMETHING THAT ISN’T WORKING
THEORY
Family Support Theories Social Support / Social Capital Resilience Reflective Practiceand
Extending the Range Civic Engagement and Young People Sociology of Childhood Emotional Labour ..
CHALLENGE 9
HELP THE RESEARCHERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FAMILY SUPPORT THEORIES
KNOWLEDGE
What counts as evidence for Family Support knowledge?
Existing frameworks Veerman and Van Yperen (2007) Levels of evidence:
Descriptive, Theoretical, Indicative, Causal
Tensions Qualitative and Quantitative Rights and Participation Reflective Practice
Mixed methods, ‘Depth Outcomes’ and Realist Evaluation
CHALLENGE 10
CREATE AN AGREED FRAMEWORK FOR EVIDENCE IN FAMILY SUPPORT
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Joining up the Dots …
Four levels: Rights Outcomes Policy, Services and Practices Theory and Knowledge
We all need to think about all of the issues ….
CHILD
RIGHTSOUTCOMES
POLICY
SERVICES
PRACTICES
THEORY AND
KNOWLEDGE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The Challenges
1. EMBRACE THE COMPLEXITY OF FAMILY SUPPORT
2. USE A RIGHTS ORIENTATION TO GUIDE OUR WORK
3. TEST OUT THE OUTCOMES APPROACH
4. SEE WHAT COPING / MANAGING OUTCOMES LOOK LIKE
5. TRY OUT SOME ADVOCACY WORK
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The Challenges
6. DEVELOP AND TEST A FAMILY SUPPORT POLICY FRAMEWORK
7. IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
8. STOP DOING SOMETHING THAT ISN’T WORKING
9. HELP THE RESEARCHERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FAMILY SUPPORT THEORIES
10. CREATE AN AGREED FRAMEWORK FOR EVIDENCE IN FAMILY SUPPORT